Swing



Aug. 4, 1942.

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Patented Aug. 4, 1942.

uNiTED STATES fre'ilENTv OFFIC Y SWING ,Y

George H. Buta, Jr., Wilmington, N.C.

Application January 24, 1939, Serial No.252,651

(Cl. 15E-#675)v 4 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in swings and while primarily intended as a toy might -be 4adapted for playgrounds or other places of amusement by increasing the dimensions of the several parts.

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of novel means for suspending or supporting a swing or swings and means for operating the same, said operating vmeans being shown as manual, but it will be understood that other power means might be provided if found desirable or advantageous.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of novel means for suspending or supporting a swing or swings and for operating the same, the operating means forming a part of the suspending or supporting means and the swing or swings being carried by the suspending or supporting means when the same is operated and further adapted for movement independent of the suspending or supporting means.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel frame structure which carries or supports the swing suspending or supporting means, the frame structure having connected thereto a canopy or awning, .this canopy or awning, where the swing or swings are adapted for use as a toy forming an ornamentation and giving a neat appearance to the structure as a whole and when the swing or swings are of a size for use at playgrounds or other places of amusement providing protection to the occupants of the swing or swings from the sun or rain.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, my

invention consists in the novel details of con-- struction, and arrangement of parts, described in the following specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and whiler I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, as they now appear to me, it will be understood that such changes may be made as will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section with parts broken away and parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, lookingin'the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is arsection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in fthe direction ofthe arrows.

In carrying out my invention I provide a frame structure which includes the base I, the standards or uprights 2 and 3, and the strip or bar 4, secured to and connecting the upper ends of the standards or uprights. 'Ihe base I, along its front and rear edges, is formed with' a depending iiange ,5 :which'is adapted to rest upon the ground Vor other surface. yThe bottom edge of each ci the standards or uprights is formed with a depending projection 6 and the inwardly directed horizontal ange portions 1 which extend beneath the base I and are secured thereto by the nuts and bolts 8 or other suitable means. It will be noted that the depending projections 6 are of a height equal to the height of the flanges 5 and also engage the ground or other surface as is .quite clearly illustrated more particularly in Figs. Zand 3 of -the drawing. The upper end of each of the standards 2 and 3 is bent inwardly, as shown at i9, andf then voutwardly to provide a ange I0, these flanges l in turn engaging tongues or projections I-I struck from the strip or bar. .4, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3'and 4 of the drawing. It will be noted that the strip vor bar 4 is of channel formation and-that' the ltongues or projections II are struck from the depending flange-portions thereof and extend inwardly, Yas shown more particularly in Fig, 4 of they drawing. The iiange portions I of the standards or uprights will engage between the upper surface `of the strip or bar 4 and the inwardly'Y directed tongues or projections Ii.

. At its ends the strip or bar 4 is bent downwardly, as indicatediat I2, and the ends of these downwardly-bent portions are curled upwardly to provide the eyes I3. Supported in the eyes I3 Vare the `ends of a wire frame indicated at ifi,

said wire frame being of the shape shown and provdingYa-support for the awning or canopy in dicated generally at I5 and which may be made of any material suitable for this purpose.

Adjacent its upper end each of the standards or uprights Y2 and 3 is formed` with an elongated opening I5, through which extends a horizontal rod Il, Athis rod I'i extending between the standards Ver uprights 2 and 3.as more particularly disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and adapted for free horizontal movement in the openings It in a manner as will be presently described. That end oi the rod I1, which passes through the opening I6, in the standard or upright 2, is formed'rwith the downwardly projecting extension IB, the lower end of which Vis bentinwardly Yto -forin a projection I9 which Yis received inV an opening 2d formed in the upright orstan dard 2. Thatend of the rod II, which passes through the elongated opening I5, in Athe gstandard or Yupright 3, is formed with the downwardly projectingextension 2 I, the lower end vof which is bent inwardly to form the projection y22 which passes through an openingk 23 formed-in the standard or upright. A forwardly projecting portion 24 is formed on the extension or projection 22 and the end of this forwardly directed extension is bent at right angles to provide the horizontal portion 2'5 which extends in front of the forward edge of lthe standard or upright 3 and parallel with the extension or projection 22. On this horizontal portion 25 is a rearwardly extending projection 25 which extends parallel with lthe portion 24. It will be noted that the extensions I9 and 22, received in the openings and 23 respectively, form means for pivotally connecting the horizontal rod II to the standards or uprights 2 and 3 and the horizontal portion 25 forms a handhold, or engaging portion for swinging the rod I'I in a horizontal plane towards the forward ends of the elongated openings I6, this forward position of the rod and integral depending portions I8 and 2I being shown by dotted lines 2'I in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Each of the standards or uprights 2 and 3 is formed with an inwardly directed flange or projection 28 and to each of these projections is connected one end of a coiled spring 29, the opposite ends of the coiled springs being connected to the horizontal rod II to normally hold the same in engagement with the rear ends of the elongated openings I 6, as shown more particularly by full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. It will be understood that when the rod II is swung to the dotted line position, shown at 2'I, that the springs 29 will expand and will return the rod to its normal position after the manipulating means is released.

The body portions of the swings are shown at 30 and are in the form of boats or tubs. These body portions 30 are suspended from the horizontal rod I'I by means of the cables 3|, the cables being formed at their upper ends with eye portions 32 through which the rod extends as is quite clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Spacer sleeves 33 are received on the rod I'I and properly position the cables 3I so that the body portions of the swings will not contact or rub when swung. These spacer sleeves may be secured to the rod in proper position, in any desired manner. It will be understood that any number of swings may be suspended from the rod II and while I have illustrated three suspended swings it will be understood that the number may be increased or decreased as may be desired. When the device is in the form of a toy suitable gures, as dolls or other images may be placed in the body portions 30, but if the device is of a size for use at playgrounds or other places of amusement it will be understood that children or adults may occupy the swings.

From the above detailed description it is thought that the construction and operation will be understood. Normally the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and in full lines in Fig. 2. With the swings occupied the operator will engage the horizontal portion 25, of the depending portion 2I of the rod II, and when the same is pushed downwardly the rod and the depending portions I8 and 2| will be swung into the dotted line position 2'I of Fig. 2, the rod II moving to the forward ends of the openings I6. This forward movement will carry the swings forwardly into the dotted line position shown at a and when the portion is released the rod II will be drawn into its normal rearward position by means of the coiled springs 29. It will be seen that the swings are carried forwardly and rearwardly with the rod I1 but upon continued manipulation the swings may have movement independent of the rod I 'I and will swing forwardly, as shown by dotted lines at a and rearwardly, as shown by dotted lines at b in Fig. 2. The distance of movement of the swings, relative to the rod I'I, will be determined by the momentum caused by the operation, and as the swings have independent movement of the rod I'I the individual swings will move different distances or in other words there is no uniform movement of the swings in their independent movement on the rod I I. I wish to lay particular stress on the fact that while the swings are suspended from the rod II and move therewith, as the rod is moved forwardly and rearwardly in the elongated openings IB the swings nevertheless have independent movement and on manipulation the distance of movement is not necessarily uniform but one swing may move to a greater height than another. This, of course, affords amusement to the operator and to the occupants when the device is of such a size as to be used at playgrounds or other places of amuse-ment.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including a frame structure having uprights each provided with an elongated opening, a supporting member adapted for swinging movement in the elongated openings, depending extensions on the supporting member extending parallel with the uprights, said depending extensions being pivotally connected to the uprights, a forwardly directed portion formed on one of the depending extensions, said forwardly directed portion adapted to be engaged to swing the supporting member, and a swing carried by the supporting member and adapted for movement therewith and independent movement relative thereto.

V2. A device of the character described including a frame structure having uprights each provided with an elongated opening, a member pivotally connected to the uprights and having a portion extending into and adapted for swinging movement in said elongated openings, and a swing carried by the pivoted member for movement therewith.

3. A device of the character described including a frame structure having uprights each provided with an elongated opening, a member pivotally connected to the uprights and having a portion extending into and adapted for swinging movement in said elongated openings, and a swing carried by the pivoted member for movement therewith and independent thereof.

4. A device of the character described including a frame structure having uprights each provided with an elongated opening, a supporting member adapted for swinging movement in the elongated openings, depending extensions on the supporting member extending parallel with the uprights, said depending extensions being pivotally connected to the uprights, a forwardly directed portion formed on one of the depending extensions, said forwardly directed portion adapted to be engaged lio swingthe supporting memberand a swing carried 4by the supporting member and adapted for movement therewith.

' GEORGE H. HUTAFF, J R, 

